Windmill control



June 20, 1944. 'A.- FAGERLUND WINDMILL CONTROL Filed Nov. 18, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES June 20, 1944.

A. ,FAGERLUND WINDMILL CONTROL lllll INVENTOI? 4 Sheets-Sheet '2' 'Filed Nov. 18, 1941 ATTORNEYS June 20, 1944. A. i-AGERLUND WINDMILL CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 18, 1941 I NVENTOR lTzz gerlund ATTORNEYS 71/1/1111Ill/11176711!!!4 VII/n WITNESSES June 20, 1944. A. FAGERLUND WINDMILL CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 18, 1941 INVENTOR flrfizur- Fcfgevlun 6? wrmssszs I q; ATTORNEYS Patented June 20, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKIE WINDMILL CONTROL Arthur Fagerlund, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application November 18, 19-41, Serial No. 419,603

Claims.

directly to the wheel, and since the apparatus is. quite heavy the vane or tail necessarily was of a considerable size. This type of construction is objectionable since it precludes, to a great extent, the use of wind apparatus where there i not sufficient room for the large tail, such as on the tops of buildings or in other restricted spaces. It is further objectionable in that it could not be operated by a mild breeze and provided no mechanism for excessive winds.

An object of this invention is to provide a Wind apparatus which will have automatic mechanism to turn it into the wind with the slightest breeze.

A further object is to govern such mechanism by a relatively small vane or flier which will be automatic in its operation.

A further object is to provide mechanism which will govern the speed of the wheel and which will restrict excessive and injurious speeds.

A still further object of the invention i to provide an apparatus which will move the wheel out of the direct path of the wind when the velocity is too great.

Another object is to provide mechanism of the class described which may be operated both antomatically and manually.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a view partly in section showing the construction of a wind apparatus employing my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the nature of the air blades;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 4, showing the operation of my control mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a plan view in section showing the same mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view from the wheel end of the device;

Fig. 6 is a detailed view showing the power take-ofi;

Fig. 7 is a detailed cross-sectional view of the clutch member employed;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing the manner in which the cables and wires are installed;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit employed;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the switch which may be used in connection with my invention;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line l.l-II of Fig. 10; s

Fig. 12 is a rear view of the switch box.

My improved wind apparatus has the customary tower 15 which maybe of any desired shape -or height, and a wheel [6 having blades or fins l1 adapted to catch the wind. The wheel I6 is provided with a hub 18 and is adapted. to rotate the shaft l9. A central hollow shaft 20 extends down through the tower to the bearing 2! and carries a pulley wheel 22. The pulley wheel 22 i provided with a belt 23 which engages the pulley 24 of the generator 25. The pulley 2E likewise engages the belt'23 and is provided With a spring 21 fastened to the frame of the towe l5 to maintain tension on the belt 23. The top of the shaft 20 is mounted on the casing 28 and i provided with a beveled gear 29 adapted to engage the beveled gear 30 on the shaft 59.

The housin 3! is provided with rollers 32 adapted to engage the track 33 at the top of the tower I5 so that the entire housing 3i may rotate on the rollers. on the outer section of the casing 31 is an annular flange 34 having teeth 35 on its outer edge forming a sprocket 36. A chain 31 engages the sprocket 36. At the upper part of the tower I5 is a platform M) on which is mounted the motor M connected by suitable gearing 42 to the shaft 43. At the upper end of the shaft 43 is a sprocket 4!! which engages the chain 31 to rotate the housing 3!. A cover 45 may be mounted on the housing 3| and may be provided with sides 46 to extend down over the platform and to protect it from the elements.

It will be seen at this point that as the wheel it rotates, it turns through the gears 29 and the shaft 20 transmitting power to the generator 25. It will also be seen that by energizing the motor 4!, which is preferably a reversible motor. the entire housing 3| may be turned to bring the wheel l6 into any desired position with the wind.

Under normal conditions the motor 44 is controlled by a small flier or fin 50. This fin may be V-shaped having two sides 5| and 52 to make it more sensitive to the wind. The flier is mounted upon a shaft 53, which shaft is mounted on the switch box 54. Connected to the shaft 53 is an arm 55 adapted to move laterally as the shaft 53 is rotated. On the end of the shaft 55 are contacts 56 and 51. The contacts 55 and 51 are adapted to engage spring contacts 58 and 59 to energize the motor to rotate the housing in one direction and contacts 69 and GI to rotate the motor in the opposite direction. It will be seen, therefore, that when the wind pressure causes the flier 59 to move, the shaft 53 rotates and causes the contacts 59 and 51 to engage either contacts 58 and 59 or 69 and 6| closin a circuit to energize the motor and thus rotating the housing until the wheel is brought into the desired position, whereupon the action of the wind will return the switch to the open position breaking the circuit until a further shift of the wind requires a change.

Mounted around the shaft I9 is a brake mechanism 19 comprising a drumll and brake band 12. A lever 13 is held by a spring 14 to normally allow free rotation of the drum 1|. -A chain 15 engages the end of the lever 13 and when pressure is brought upon the chain 15 the brake band 12 will tighten on the drum to exert pressure thereon and to control the speed of rotation thereof. The chain 15 passes over the pulleys 15 and 11 to a spool or drum18. The spool or drum is mounted on a shaft 19 which is mounted in the bracket 89 for slidable rotation therein. On the inner end of the shaft 19 is a clutch member 8I having apertures 82 therein. A spring 83 is positioned between the clutch member 8| and the bracket 89 to normally push the shaft inwardly. n the inner end of the shaft I9 is mounted' a corresponding clutch member 82 having projections 95 thereonadapted to engage the apertures v82 in the clutch member 8|. A spring latch member 81 is positioned adjacent the clutch member 8| to hold-it away from the clutch member 85.

The latch member 81 has a long shaft 99 which passes through the bracket 9I-- and engages the lever arm 92 which is fulcrumed at 93 so that pressure at the end 94 thereof will tend to pull the shaft 99 rearwardly against the sprin 95. A cable 95 engages the end 94 and-lever 92 and passes through the tubing 91 down through the hollow shaft 29 to an operating handle 98. Mounted on the end of the shaft 19 is another lever arm 99 fulcrumed at I99 and having an end I9I engaging the cable I92-which passes through the tubing 91 to the operating handle I93. As has been previously stated, the spring 95 tends to push the latch forward.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by moving the operating handle 98 pressure will be exerted on the lever 92 to pull the latch through the arm 99 rearwardly and release the clutch member 8| allowing it to be'pushed forwardly by the spring 83 to engage the clutch member 85. The rotation of the shaft I9 will then cause the chain to wind on the drum 18 thus exerting pressure on the brake arm 13 and the band 12 to stop the rotation of the shaft I9 and therefore therotation of the wheel. By moving the operating handle I93, pressure is exerted'on the cable I92 and the lever arm 99 to separate the clutch members 8| and 85 and to allow the latch member 81 to be pushed forwardly to maintain the separation, thus freeing the brake 19 and allowing the free rotation of the shaft 99 on the wheel- 69. This covers the manual operation of the brake.

The brake is also automatically operated. Mounted about the shaft 99 is a stationary member I95 and mounted on the shaft 99 is a similar member I96. A wedge I91 is positioned between these members and it will be understood that movement of the wedge I91 between these members to separate them will force the shaft 99 rearwardly and free the latch member 81 from the clutch member 8|, thus setting the brake in action as heretofore explained.

Mounted on the shaft I I9 is a governor II I comprising a pair of arms H2 fixedly mounted on the shaft H9 by the bracket H3 and a pair of arms H4 engaging the slidable cap H5. The arms H4 engage the balls or weights H5 and the arms H2 are pivoted to the arms H4 at H1. The shaft III) has at its lower end a gear H8 which engages a gear H9 on the shaft 2| immediately below the gear 29. As the shaft 2| is rotated the shaft I I9 is likewise rotated, and as the speed of rotation increases centrifugal force will move the Weights H5 outwardly thus sliding the cap H5 upwardly on the shaft H9. Mounted above the cap H5 is a member I29 fulcrumed at I2I to the support I22. One end I23 of the member I29 engages the wedge I 91 while the other end I24 engages the switch I25. It will be appreciated that as the speed of rotation is increased and the cap H5 pushed upwardly, the wedge I91 will be forced between the members I95 and I95 to release the latch 81 and allow the clutch members 8I and to engage, thus causing the drum 18 to rotate and to exert pressure on the brake 19 at the same time the switch I25 will be operated. The switch l25 disconnects the automatic flier control and, as long as it is open, transfers the control of the motor M to the manual switch at the base of the tower, thus preventing the platform from shifting the wheel into the wind.

In addition to the automatic control, a manual control is provided. Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the various wires are led down through the hollow shaft 29 through the tube I39. Since the shaft 29 rotates and the tube I39necessarily rotates with it, it is necessary to provide means to maintain contact which will prevent the wires from being torn off. This. is

done by means of the multiple contact rings I3I and I32. These rings are made of insulating material but have contact members I33 and I34 so that the wires I35 maintain contact with the corresponding wires I39 leading to the switch mechanism shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive. The wires lead to the switch I39 having contact points I49, I4I, I42, I43, I44 and I45. V

The switch I39 has twoswitch members I45 and I41. The switch member I 49 is pivoted on the rod I48 while the switch member I41 ispivoted on the rod I49 at right angles thereto. The switch member I46 has contact bars I59 and I5I while similar bars are provided for the switch member I41 indicated by the numerals I52 and I53. It will be seen that the contact'bar I52 connects the contacts MI and I42 while the contact bar I53 connects the contacts 543 and I44 when automatic operation is desired. When manual control is desired, the switch I41 is pulled It will be seen that the switch I25 is provided with contacts I66, I6I, I62, I63, I64, I65, I66 and I61. The contacts I6I, I63, I65 and I61 are mounted on the slidable bracket I68 which is engaged by the end I24 of the arm I20. It will be seen that in normal operation the contacts I66 and I6! are engaged by the contacts I62 and I63. When the governor III goes into operation these contacts are broken and the contacts I64, I65, I66 and I61 are engaged. When the wheel revolves sufficiently fast to cause the governor to operate, the brake will go on as previously explained. By pulling the switch I4! and operating the switch I46, the windmill may then be turned to any desired position. When the wind abates the brake may be released by means of the operating handle I03 and by reversing the switches the automatic control will be put back into operation.

An oil pump I'IO having intake and out-take lines Ill and H2 is provided with a shaft I13 operated by the eccentric I15 to insure a normal flow of oil through the working parts.

I claim:

1. In a windmill, motor means for turning'said Windmill into the wind, automatic means to energize said motor, braking means to control the rotation of said windmill, automatic means for setting said braking means, a hollow shaft in said windmill, and manually controlled cables for setting and releasing said braking means including a pair of cables extending through said hollow shaft one of said cables operating the setting means and the other of said cables releasing the braking means.

2. A windmill control apparatus, including a motor for turning said windmill into the wind, automatic means for energizing said motor operated by the wind, brake means for controlling the speed of said windmill, and additional means for setting said brake and disconnecting said automatic means when the speed of said windmill becomes excessive.

a spool engaging the end of said flexible member,

a second shaft cooperating with said spool, clutch means between said second shaft and the windmill bearing shaft whereby the rotation of the windmill bearing shaft can be transmitted to the second-mentioned shaft to rotate said spool to cause said flexible member to wind thereon and to exert pressure on said lever.

4. In combination with a windmill mounted for rotation upon and with a shaft, including a drum on said shaft, a brake band cooperating with said drum, a lever for tightening said drum, a flexible member engaging said lever, a spool engaging the end of said flexible member, a second shaft cooperating with said spool, clutch means between said second shaft and the windmill .bearing shaft whereby the rotation of the windmill bearing shaft may be transmitted to the second-mentioned shaft to rotate said spool to cause said flexible member to wind thereon and exert pressure on said lever, and automatic means engaging said clutch when rotation of the windmill bearing shaft reaches a predetermined speed.

5. A windmill control apparatus including a motor for turning said windmill into the wind, automatic means for energizing said motor operated by the wind, brake means for controlling the speed of said windmill, a governor rotated by said windmill, and additional means controlled by said governor for setting said brake.

and disconnecting the automatic motor control means when the speed of said windmill becomes excessive.

ARTHUR FAGERLUND. 

